Mother of teen beaten by teacher sues city for $5.5 million

Mother of teen beaten by teacher sues city for $5.5 million

Sanford John, mother of the Brooklyn teen who was seen in a video earlier this week on NYDailyNews.com being beaten by a teacher, is suing New York City for $5.5 million. Her 15 year old son, Kristoff John, who weighs only 116 pounds, was punched and hit by a much larger teacher, Stephan Hudson, on March 6th. After viewing the video tapped attack for herself, John said she decided to sue “so that it will never happen again.” The Daily News has more:

The Brooklyn mom whose scrawny teenage son was pummeled by a public school dean is seeking criminal charges against the thuggish bully — and she’s suing the city for $5.5 million.

“I’m doing this so that something is going to be done, so that it will never happen again to another parent,” said Diane John, who learned of her son Kristoff’s March 6 beatdown at George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School when the Daily News this week showed her a video of the incident.

“You send your kids to school to learn,” she said. “It’s supposed to be a safe place and for this to happen is shameful and disgusting.”

Prominent attorney Sanford Rubenstein filed a blistering claim against the city Thursday naming the Education Department and Hudson as defendants.

“Stephan Hudson negligently, violently and viciously grabbed (Kristoff) by his arm, hand and neck, and dragged him across the floor and pushed him numerous times into a table,” the claim reads.

The claim also contends that school officials including principal Janine Kieran “attempted to conceal and cover up the truth” by lying to John about the incident and preventing her from seeing video of the beating.

Rubenstein is also seeking criminal charges against Hudson on behalf of Kristoff and his mother.